Slaughterhouse-Five

Traumatized by the bombing of Dresden at the time he had been imprisoned, Pilgrim drifts through all events and history, sometimes deeply implicated, sometimes a witness. He is surrounded by Vonnegut's usual large cast of continuing characters (notably here the hack science fiction writer Kilgore Trout and the alien Tralfamadorians, who oversee his life and remind him constantly that there is no causation, no order, no motive to existence).

Nineteen Eighty-Four

Big Brother is watching you.... 1984 is the year in which it happens. The world is divided into three superstates. In Oceania, the Party's power is absolute. Every action, word, gesture and thought is monitored under the watchful eye of Big Brother and the Thought Police. In the Ministry of Truth, the Party's department for propaganda, Winston Smith's job is to edit the past. Over time, the impulse to escape the machine and live independently takes hold of him and he embarks on a secret and forbidden love affair.

The Grapes of Wrath

Shocking and controversial when it was first published, Steinbeck's Pulitzer prize-winning epic remains his undisputed masterpiece. Set against the background of Dust Bowl Oklahoma and Californian migrant life, it tells of the Joad family, who, like thousands of others, are forced to travel west in search of the promised land.

Animal Farm

Animal Farm is George Orwell's great socio-political allegory set in a farmyard where the animals decide to seize the farmer's land and create a co-operative that reaps the benefits of their combined labours. However, as with all great political plans, some animals see a bigger share of the rewards than others and the animals start to question their supposed utopia.

Brave New World

On the 75th anniversary of its publication, this outstanding work of literature is more crucial and relevant today than ever before. Cloning, feel-good drugs, anti-aging programs, and total social control through politics, programming and media: has Aldous Huxley accurately predicted our future? With a storyteller's genius, he weaves these ethical controversies in a compelling narrative that dawns in the year 632 A. F. (After Ford, the deity).

Fahrenheit 451

Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television "family."

For Whom the Bell Tolls

In 1937, Ernest Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the civil war there for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Three years later he completed the greatest novel to emerge from "the good fight", For Whom the Bell Tolls.

A Clockwork Orange

In this 1962 classic, a novelistic exploration of modern crime and punishment, Alex is the 15-year-old leader of his gang of "droogs" thriving in the ultraviolent future as prophetically imagined by Burgess. Speaking a bizarre Russian-derived slang, Alex and his friends freely pillage and slash their way across a nightmarish urban landscape until Alex is captured by the judicial arm of the state. He then becomes their prized guinea pig in a scientific program to completely "redeem" him for society.

On the Road

Sal Paradise, a young innocent, joins his hero Dean Moriarty, a traveller and mystic, the living epitome of Beat, on a breathless, exuberant ride back and forth across the United States. Their hedonistic search for release or fulfilment through drink, sex, drugs and jazz becomes an exploration of personal freedom, a test of the limits of the American dream.

Lolita

Savagely funny and hauntingly sad, Lolita is Nabokov's most famous and controversial novel. It is the story of tortured college professor Humbert Humbert and his dangerous obsession with honey-skinned schoolgirl Dolores Haze.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: Fear and Loathing, Book 1

In Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race, Raoul Duke (Thompson) and his attorney Dr. Gonzo (inspired by a friend of Thompson) are quickly diverted to search for the American dream. Their quest is fueled by nearly every drug imaginable and quickly becomes a surreal experience that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. But there is more to this hilarious tale than reckless behavior, for underneath the hallucinogenic facade is a stinging criticism of American greed and consumerism.

Cat's Cradle

Cat's Cradle is Kurt Vonnegut's satirical commentary on modern man and his madness. An apocalyptic tale of this planet's ultimate fate, it features a dwarf as the protagonist; a complete, original theology created by a calypso singer; and a vision of the future that is at once blackly fatalistic and hilariously funny. A book that left an indelible mark on an entire generation of readers, Cat's Cradle is one of this century's most important works...and Vonnegut at his very best.

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

One Thursday lunchtime the Earth gets unexpectedly demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass. For Arthur Dent, who has only just had his house demolished that morning, this seems already to be more than he can cope with.

Lord of the Flies

A plane crashes on a desert island and the only survivors, a group of schoolboys, assemble on the beach and wait to be rescued. By day they inhabit a land of bright fantastic birds and dark blue seas, but at night their dreams are haunted by the image of a terrifying beast. As the boys' delicate sense of order fades, so their childish dreams are transformed into something more primitive, and their behaviour starts to take on a murderous, savage significance.

The Old Man and the Sea

The Old Man and the Sea is one of Hemingway's most enduring works. Told in language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal, a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. Here Hemingway recasts, in strikingly contemporary style, the classic theme of courage in the face of defeat, of personal triumph won from loss.

The Sun Also Rises

The Sun Also Rises is one of Ernest Hemingway's masterpieces and a classic example of his spare but powerful style. A poignant look at the disillusionment and angst of the post-World War I generation, the story introduces two of Hemingway's most unforgettable characters: Jake Barnes and Lady Brett Ashley. Follow the flamboyant Brett and the hapless Jake as they journey from the wild nightlife of the 1920s Paris to the brutal bullfighting rings of Spain with a motley group of expatriates.

A Tale of Two Cities

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"; "It is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known"; so the novel begins and ends with some of Dicken's best-known words, and between the two is every Briton's view of the worst excesses of the French Revolution.

Don Quixote

The most influential work of the entire Spanish literary canon and a founding work of modern Western literature, Don Quixote is also one of the greatest works ever written. Hugely entertaining but also moving at times, this episodic novel is built on the fantasy life of one Alonso Quixano, who lives with his niece and housekeeper in La Mancha. Quixano, obsessed by tales of knight errantry, renames himself 'Don Quixote' and with his faithful servant Sancho Panza, goes on a series of quests.

Ulysses

Ulysses is regarded by many as the single most important novel of the 20th century. It tells the story of one day in Dublin, June 16th 1904, largely through the eyes of Stephen Dedalus (Joyce's alter ego from Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man) and Leopold Bloom, an advertising salesman. Both begin a normal day, and both set off on a journey around the streets of Dublin, which eventually brings them into contact with one another.

A Passage to India

Dr Aziz is a young Muslim physician in the British Indian town of Chandrapore. One evening he comes across an English woman, Mrs Moore, in the courtyard of a local mosque; she and her younger travelling companion Adela are disappointed by claustrophobic British colonial culture and wish to see something of the 'real' India. But when Aziz kindly offers to take them on a tour of the Marabar caves, the trip results in a shocking accusation that throws Chandrapore into a fever of racial tension.

The Trial [Naxos AudioBooks]

The Trial is one of the great works of the 20th century - an extraordinary vision of one man put on trial by an anonymous authority on an unspecified charge. Kafka evokes all the terrifying reality of his ordeal.

Breakfast of Champions

Breakfast of Champions (1973) provides frantic, scattershot satire and a collage of Vonnegut's obsessions. His recurring cast of characters and American landscape was perhaps the most controversial of his canon; it was felt by many at the time to be a disappointing successor to Slaughterhouse-Five, which had made Vonnegut's literary reputation.

Birdsong

Set before and during the great war, Birdsong captures the drama of that era on both a national and a personal scale. It is the story of Stephen, a young Englishman, who arrives in Amiens in 1910. His life goes through a series of traumatic experiences, from the clandestine love affair that tears apart the family with whom he lives, to the unprecedented experiences of the war itself.

Publisher's Summary

At the heart of Joseph Heller's best-selling novel, first published in 1961, is a satirical indictment of military madness and stupidity, and the desire of the ordinary man to survive it.

This is the tale of the dangerously sane Captain Yossarian, who spends his time in Italy plotting to survive. Yossarian is a bombardier in the 256th Squadron of the US Army Air Forces during World War II, stationed on Pianosa, a fictionalised island in the Mediterranean between mainland Italy and Corsica. The squadron's assignment is to bomb enemy positions in Italy and eastern France. Yossarian's mission is simply to stay alive.

What the Critics Say

"The greatest satirical work in the English language since Erewhon. (Observer)"Wildly original, and brutally gruesome, a dazzling performance that will outrage as many readers as it delights. Vulgarly, bitterly, savagely funny, it will not be forgotten by those who can take it." (The New York Times)"An apocalyptic masterpiece." (Chicago Times)

It's easy to see why this book has cult status. The chapters explore each charater in great depth, but the key elements of the plot appear in a random order, with much repetition. The writing is also very exuberent, almost surreal. But chapter by chapter, much like the ritual chanting of ancient folklore, everything starts to fit together. And just at that point the whole story moves beyond humour, it trips you up with moments of great sadness. This may be about the absurdity of war, but from within this spinning multi-coloured lens there's a lot more to see. Brilliant narration completes a formidable package.

This reading is one of the best audiobooks I have in my library
The pernicious effects of unnecessary bureaucracy brought to compelling life.
You cannot listen without laughter and yet at the same time realise how awful the subject matter is.

I own quite a few audiobooks on cassette and am slowly replacing those that can no longer be played with downloads from audible. I was so pleased when Catch 22 became available. I have always loved this book. It has been narrated well by Trevor White the canadian actor. He brings out the cynical humour in Heller's book so well.

I'm sure you don't need another person to tell you how brilliant this story is - it's a classic. Just thought that I'd add how brillint the narration is, I read the book before listening to it, and the acting actually improved upon the already astounding read!

Having always thought I should do Catch 22 as it is a classic, I'm very glad I did. I had no idea what the book was about - set in the American airforce, its fantastically funny in a very intelligent, witty way. I listened to it on my way to work and was laughing out loud in the street. Well read, it was a delight to listen to and will be listening to it again in the future. Would recommend with great pleasure.

I bought this book on a whim because I had heard so many good things about it, although the subject did not overly interest me. Having now listened to it I realise why it is regarded as such a pivotal piece of fiction. This book is hilarious, clever, poignant and sad and it was a thorough pleasure to listen to. The theme throughout conveys a sense of madness and illogical bureaucracy that permeates war, and the central characters sanity at rightfully worrying that people are trying to kill him is seen as a form of madness by everyone else. Some superb dialogue and ridiculously entertaining farce. Well read and crystal clear.

This novel lends itself well to being read aloud - there is a lot of dialogue - and White does a fantastic job, His voice is wonderful to listen to, evocative and full of character. I thoroughly recommend this version.

I can hardly believe that this book was first published in 1955, well before I was born, and it seems as up-to-date and relevant now as it was then. It's been one of the best books I've listened to - nothing is lost in the move from print to audio. The characters came alive all over again, the madness, stupidity, incompetence, frustration and fear of war are conveyed graphically, dramatically - it could be happening today. Although of course, it couldn't, could it? Surely Joseph Heller has taken the reality and exaggerated it just enough to remain plausible? The narration is impeccable, and I sat in the car once I'd reached my destination, just to listen to the last 10 minutes.

An excellent story expertly read. Catch 22 is a classic stream-of-thought black comedy detailing the absurdity of war. It is my favourite book that I come back to reread every few years but this audiobook will change all that - now I can have the book read to me every few months.

This reading is excellent. It is clear, easy to understand and the character voices are mostly the same as I hear in my head.

Catch 22 is a classic. If you know the book and love it, you will love the Audiobook.

If you don't know the book, it details the story of Yoissarian's attempt to stay alive in a world that doesn't make sense, where people are trying to kill him and the rules are against him. The narrative jumps about through time. Scenes jump in the middle of conversations. No-one acts rationally except Yossarian (and he's crazy). It contains all the absurdity and horror of war. And it's the most hillarious book you'll ever have read to you.

This is a great book well read. I recommend this Audiobook very highly.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Peter

Melbourne, VIC, Australia

19/10/08

Overall

"Fantastic listen"

The best audiobook I have heard. It refeshed my memory of my reading of the book 20 years ago. The narration is excellent and illuminates the text.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

PDA

S'Gravenhage, Netherlands

19/06/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Don't think the reader got it"

Catch-22 is a sparklingly funny book, but it needs a deadpan delivery to pull it off. Trevor White seems to think that he is reading a bloody, amoral and unpleasant war tome. He is, of course, but the genius of the book is that its wit makes its dark subject matter accessible and so much more heart-wrenching for catching you unaware. White reads like he's spitting out the words and glad to be rid of them. A disappointment.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Don

Curtin, Australia

15/03/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"MASH on Acid!"

Decided to check this out given its iconic nature and it is a crazy ride. Really good account of the absurdity of war and the mind bending circumstances for its combatants. I struggled at times with this just the crazy logic (or lack of it) but it always brought me back. you can see this as the forerunner for some of the great war stories such as MASH and even Full Metal Jacket.

A classic and deservedly so.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Ian C Robertson

South Australia, Australia

25/03/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Satire Still Sings and Zings"

I returned to this modern classic not really expecting it to live up to my memory of its bite, cleverness and the inventive use of the absurd. I was pleasantly disappointed (a contradiction that might have pleased Heller). The bite is as sharp as it was in the early 80's, when I first read the book. The years, the wars and the cynicism of the last 20 years have not dulled the edge of the humour or the social criticism of the war, victors and who really gets the spoils. In fact, it is probably more pogninant today when more and more young people side with Yossarian to opt out of military service. As he reminds us, we would be crazy not to do the same!

I listened and re-listend to numerous passages (just as I would re-read a book with a clever passage) to dwell in the comic wit and cleverness. I had forgotten Milo Mindbender's explanation for the Syndicate buying at 7c and selling at 5c for a profit. It is Abbott and Costello genius of a "Who's on First" level. I have "marked" passages for the future, too.

As for the narrator, I have to say I oscillated from huge fan to disappointed. His Col. Cathcart and General Dreedle are outstanding, as is his pidgeon Italian. But Yossarian just didn't hit it for me until the 2nd part (by which time I had become accustomed to it). Unfortunately, (or fortunately), I still hear Alan Arkin. Maybe the general narration was too close to Yossarian - I'm not sure. Another reader might not suffer from this limitation, so perhaps my view is a bit unkind. Still, I liked the performance enough to keep going (like Nately's whore). I suspect you will too.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Jefferson

Jonan-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Japan

02/02/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"???Are You Crazy???? A Most Hilarious & Horrible Book"

Set on a US air base on an Italian island during WW II, Catch 22 comically exposes the insanity of war, from commanding officers who prove their bravery and patriotism by volunteering their men to fly dangerous and unnecessary missions, to the ???heroes??? who don???t mind having to kill or avoid being killed by strangers and the ???cowards??? who are traumatized by having to do that. The enterprise is so full of bullies, schemers, and rationalizers that finally both sides are trying to kill you, yours and the enemy???s.

General P. P. Peckem waging war against General Dreedle, Captain Black reveling in his loyalty oath campaign, Major Major Major Major trying to play basketball in disguise, mess officer Milo Minderbinder bombing his own base to make a profit for his syndicate, Col. Cathcart trying to get in the Saturday Evening Post via condolence form letters, the chaplain being interrogated as Washington Irving, the soldier in white (body cast) returning to the hospital??? The novel is a series of funny and appalling scenes that cohere with an insane logic like that of Lewis Carroll, as when Alice asks, ???How do you know I???m mad???? and the Cheshire Cat replies, ???You must be ??? or you wouldn???t have come here.???

Trevor White reads the narration with irony, compassion, and clarity and the dialogue of the weak strong kind sadistic neurotic calm clever moronic characters with verve and apt voices.

Heller???s novel is a biting satire of American culture: capitalism, patriotism, medicine, Indian land taking, and more. And it explores the meaning (or meaninglessness) of life and death. After all, aren???t we all passengers on a flimsy airplane flown through layers of flak by a reckless pilot guided by an incompetent navigator? With danger all around, what can we hold to? Integrity: Yossarian???s refusal to conform is inspiring. And Love: Yossarian caressing Nurse Duckett???s flesh with desperate sensuality and falling in love with Italian prostitutes (who say, ???Tu sei pazzo!???) are oases of sanity.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Christopher Johansen

04/08/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Black comedy at its best"

If you could sum up Catch 22 in three words, what would they be?

Entertaining, amusing, surprising

What was one of the most memorable moments of Catch 22?

There are many memorable moments in Catch-22. Hard to choose only one, but I love the absurdity of all the situations that do occur during this book.

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved the moment where Orr tells Yossarian "why" he was using crab apples in his cheeks. Another great moment was when Yossarian gets everyone to moan during a mission briefing.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not at first, but after I got to know the many characters, this book became a very easy "read". I am going to listen to it more times, and also read the paperback version.

Any additional comments?

Loved it!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

amateco

Patagonia

25/05/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Heller's masterpiece"

A great performance for a great book. It is worth reading but also listening to grasp the whole content of this satire I hope to find the second part ( final time) also in. Audible

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Marius Fourie

New York

25/02/16

Overall

Story

"Funny yet heartbreaking at the same time "

A book that one can read over an over again, every time finding new treasures

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Inge

25/07/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Hysterical...best book I have ever red!!"

Clever, hysterical, funny, well written, perfect. Most of the book made no sense...like parts of war! Perfect

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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